WHO releases new roadmap for integrating lived experience in mental health
The WHO Regional Office for Europe, together with the European Commission, has released a new roadmap outlining best practices for integrating lived and living experience practitioners into mental health services across Europe. The roadmap highlights the importance of recognizing and embedding the unique expertise of those who have experienced mental health challenges firsthand into health policy, service design, and community-based support.
Structured around six core actions, the roadmap emphasizes strengthening policies to formally recognize lived experience roles, building organizational readiness to reduce stigma and ensure inclusive workplace practices, and promoting co-creation and collaboration between lived experience practitioners, clinicians, and service users. A key focus is standardizing training and certification to maintain high professional standards and enhancing supervision to ensure practitioners can navigate professional challenges while remaining true to their experiences.
Digital technology is also featured as a key enabler, providing new pathways for remote support, training, and international collaboration, significantly broadening access in underserved regions. The roadmap addresses practical challenges such as resistance from traditional healthcare settings and funding inconsistencies, while spotlighting successful case studies from countries including Ireland, Norway, and Finland.
By prioritizing human rights, inclusivity, and recovery-oriented practices, this roadmap represents a clear step towards reshaping mental healthcare systems. It provides actionable guidance for policymakers, mental health professionals, and lived experience advocates aiming to build services where recovery, dignity, and collaborative support are central.
